Friendship, Love, and Everything in Between
by vixenx0
Summary: Scarlett Monroe and the handsome Don Flack have a romantic past, but they've settled on being just friends. Now that Scarlett's life is in danger, Don steps up to protect her, bringing up old sparks. Will friendship turn into romance? Flack/OC.
1. Cut to the Chase

**Welcome to my first fan fic featuring the oh-so-handsome Don Flack and my OC, Scarlett Monroe! I sincerely hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 1: Cut to the Chase**

"NYPD, I'm looking for a Frank Riley?" Scarlett Monroe said flashing her badge as she stepped into a small convenience store where a robbery and shooting had occurred the previous week. Finger print analysis and DNA had proved that the prints found on the gun used belonged to a man with priors, Frank Riley.

She'd agreed to come down and pick up the perp with Don, who was back in his car looking for his badge. Scarlett was feeling impatient so she had taken matters into her own hands.

The young man behind the counter shook his head, looking confused. "I don't know lady, can't help you."

"Don't play games with me, sir. Where is Frank Riley? I know this is his store," Scarlett said staring at him unblinkingly with her piercing blue gray eyes, her tone all business and no nonsense.

At that moment Scarlett heard objects crashing to the floor from the back of the store. "Thanks for your help," she yelled, running towards the sound, her heels clicking on the floor as she ran. She saw a man dressed in dirty jeans and a ratty jacket with a baseball cap, who was most likely the Frank Riley she was looking for.

"Frank Riley, freeze!" she yelled, although she knew he wasn't going to slow down. Finally, they reached the alley next to the store and she managed to tackle the perp to the ground. "You had to make this difficult didn't you?" she said to the man who was now face-down on the ground under her.

"What the hell is going on?" said Don Flack, turning the corner and seeing his partner on her knees with Frank Riley underneath her.

"Can't you control her? I was just going out for a smoke," muttered Frank Riley from beneath her.

"Hey, don't look at me," Don said, a smirk on his face.

"Don, I thought you were looking for your badge?" she said, pointing at the pretzel in his hand. "Get a little distracted?" Scarlett asked, her pretty lips forming into a smile.

"I was. I figured, you know we were going to pick up this one might as well take a lunch break. Kill two birds with one stone," Don answered.

"So professional, Donnie," Scarlett said as she stood up, dusting the dirt off of her dark skinny jeans. "Thats why I took care of this myself. Cuff him, will ya?"

Don threw out his pretzel and lifted Frank Riley off of the ground, cuffing him.

"You're lucky your cute," Frank Riley mumbled towards Scarlett, "I outta sue for harrassment."

Scarlett didn't even bother holding back a laugh, "Good luck with that."

Back at the precinct, Flack left the perp in the interrogation room. Interrogations really weren't Scarlett's thing unless she was heavily involved in the case. This wasn't her case but Flack had asked her to come along with him anyway.

Scarlett walked straight into Flack's office and sat at his desk looking around at all the paper work and junk that he had scattered all over the place. Her desk didn't look much different than his. She had a lot of paper work she needed to finish up and evidence she had to catalog. She was about to stand up and get herself back upstairs but something caught her eye.

In the corner of his desk Flack had a framed picture of a few CSIs and detectives at a benefit held to raise money for the police officers of the city. She picked up the frame and couldn't help but smile. Scarlett stood in the photo next to her cousin, Lindsay Monroe, with Flack on her other side. Flack looked exceptionally handsome and he had a hand around Scarlett's tiny waist. That photo had been taken over a year ago...


	2. Photo Flashback

**Just giving my readers a little background information about Scarlett and Flack's "romantic history."**

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 2: Photo Flashback**

"Lindsay?" Scarlett bellowed from her room in the tiny apartment they shared, "Get in here I need you!"

Lindsay strolled in a few moments later, yawning. "Why are you up so early?"

"I have no freakin' idea what to wear tonight," she said staring at the dresses she'd picked up in the past week, all laying out on her bed, tags still attached.

"You got all these for tonight?" Lindsay asked, surprised. Lindsay's style was more simple than Scarlett's. She liked to get dressed up, but she'd probably pull out her trusted little black dress.

Tonight a benefit was being held in honor of the NYPD and because it was being held to raise money for the police officers of the city, Mac Taylor had made it mandatory that they all attend, in formal attire none the less.

A flicker of understanding flashed across Lindsay's face. "I know what all of this is about. Flack, am I right?"

Scarlett stood in front of her mirror, a silly grin on her face. She felt her cheeks flush slightly. "Linds..."

"Okay, okay. I'll help you," she said picking up the dresses and examining them. "This one," she said finally, holding up a red strapless tight dress. The material had a slight sheen to it and she knew it would look beautiful against Scarlett's lightly tanned skin.

"Thanks, Linds," Scarlett had said softly to her. The cousins shared a look of understanding and Lindsay left Scarlett to get ready for the big event. Scarlett had transferred over to the NY crime lab and this had been her third month with the team. She loved working her a lot more than she had when she worked as a New Jersey CSI. She hadn't fit in there, and she wanted to get out of New Jersey so she could leave her past behind her. New York was a fresh start.

Scarlett remembered that night because she'd spent all day getting dolled up. She ended up wearing the dress that Lindsay had picked out. All of this to satisfy her pathetic little crush on Don Flack.

The party was in full swing already, and Scarlett was having a great time. She had just walked off the dance floor and back to her table and felt an arm snake it's way around her waist.

"Hey beautiful," she heard Flack saying in his sexy New York accent.

"Hey," she said, smiling up at him. She was a lot shorter than Flack so she'd had to tilt her head back slightly to look into his beautiful blue eyes, which were looking very sparkly due to the few glasses of champagne he'd had had.

Don handed her another flute of champagne and whispered to her, "Lets go somewhere a little more quiet."

He took her hand and they walked slowly toward a secluded fountain located in another part of the venue. She didn't know what it had been, it may have been the few glasses of champagne and the romantic atmosphere, but Flack wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered quietly, "Have I told you how great you look tonight, Lett?"

Scarlett smiled and nodded, feeling the champagne hitting her. "You clean up nice, Flack," she said, licking her lips teasingly.

Without hesitation, Flack reached down to kiss her and she'd met his lips in a soft kiss. They parted when they heard an announcement for everyone to return to their tables.

At the end of the night, Scarlett went to look for Flack and saw him leaving with a female cop named Denise Richardson. Denise was a tall blonde, a little on the skinny "fake" looking side but who was she to judge? She never went up to confront him and never brought up the night again. She'd felt shocked and a bit hurt but she scolded herself for expecting anything more.

Scarlett set down the picture. It had been taken right after her magical moment with Don. She had put that moment out of her mind and brushed it off as a very friendly moment after too many glasses of expensive champagne. Months later, she was happy that she hadn't made a big deal about the moment because she was now good friends with Flack. She couldn't deny being attracted to him but she also wasn't making her attraction obvious.

She set the photo down, yawning. She knew she should head back up to her office to get a head start on her paper work but she was lacking motivation. Flack walked in a few moments later, "Hey, Lett. Don't get too comfortable in that chair."

"How'd the interrogation go?" Scarlett asked him, suddenly feeling hungry on top of sleepy.

"Great. He denies the whole thing. And he asked about you again. He requested that the "beautiful cop who'd tackled him conduct the interrogation." I set him straight."

Scarlett smirked, "Protecting me?"

"I may have been," Flack answered, winking at his partner.

Scarlett yawned again, deciding that there was no way she was going to get any work done today, "I was going to get some work done but I think I'm gonna just leave and grab something to eat."

"Lett," Flack said, calling her by one of his favorite nicknames, "how about we get a beer and some Chinese?"

"As long as you're paying, I'm in," Scarlett answered with a wink. She wasn't flirting with him, exactly. They were just extremely comfortable with each other. She couldn't deny the obvious attraction but she wasn't one to chase a man who wasn't ready to be tied down.

"After you," Flack said, holding his office door open for her.


	3. Dead Reflection

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 3: Dead Reflection**

Once Scarlett and Flack were seated at their favorite greasy chinese food joint a few blocks away from the precinct, Scarlett settled into the hard plastic seat, propping her small feet up on the seat next to Flack. She tugged off her blazer and ran her hands through her long dark wavy locks, covering up a yawn with her small hand.

Scarlett grabbed a menu and bit down on her lip, having trouble figuring out just what exactly she was in the mood for.

"I think it's your turn to pick, Lett," Flack said, keeping his eyes on the menu. They'd gone out for chinese often enough that they'd developed a habit of ordering two dishes and splitting them.

"Donnie, lets split the sweet and sour chicken and the chicken broccoli," Scarlett said, folding her menu up and dropping it on the table.

"You got it kiddo," he said with a charming smile. He went up to order and came back a few minutes later with Scarlett's favorite drink to have whenever she ate Chinese: a diet coke.

Scarlett stuck a straw in her diet coke can and took a sip, getting lost in the same thoughts that she'd had back in Flack's office.

Flack didn't say anything to Scarlett even though his partner had clearly zoned out. He studied her face and knew he was staring. Although he'd known Scarlett for quite some time, he couldn't help but think that she was one of those women that you had to stop and stare at just because there was something captivating about her. She wasn't a model, those weren't his type anyway. He cleared his throat when her blue gray eyes caught his and looked over to the waiter who brought over their food and set it down in front of them.

"Something bothering you, Lett?" Flack asked, picking up a chopstick and digging into the chicken and broccoli.

Scarlett shook her head, her long dark chocolate hair framing her face. She smiled, but it wasn't a genuine Scarlett smile. When she smiled, her whole face lit up and her eyes crinkled. Now she was simply smiling to avoid any sort of explanation as to why she looked so bothered.

"I'm just...," she started to say, and looked down at her food before finishing her sentence, "tired."

"Mhm, sure you are," Flack said, his mouth full.

She looked at him, "No, really. I'm tired. These cases that we've been working on these past two weeks have been wearing me out. I can't remember the last time I got a decent nights sleep. I don't even know how many overtime hours I've managed to clock."

Don reached over and squeezed her hand. "I know how you feel, Lett. You need to relax, take a day off," he said, although he knew how she was about vacations. "Or at least go out and enjoy yourself. I'll take you out for a drink after this, how's that?"

She laughed lightly, this time giving him a genuine smile, "Well this was supposed to be chinese and a beer so I can't really say no."

Their food was interrupted by a page from Mac reporting a body dump in Central Park. They were out the door before they'd even gotten comfortable.

"Didn't even get to finish my dinner," Scarlett grumbled as Flack sped to the scene.

"Once we catch the guy, we'll have him reimburse you. How's that sound?" Flack asked with a laugh.

"Shut up, Flack" Scarlett said. She took her scrunchie off of her wrist and tied her hair up in a pony tail. Once they were at the scene, she sighed and stepped out of the SUV, jogging over to the scene where Stella Bonasera was photographing the body.

"I gotta warn, you kid," Stella said as Scarlett approached the body, "she looks a lot like..."

Scarlett stopped in her tracks, surprise all over her face. "Me," Scarlett said, cutting her off. "Oh my god," she whispered, quietly enough so that Stella couldn't hear her. Stella was kind and understanding, but when she was at a crime scene she was all business. There was absolutely no reason for Scarlett to be uncomfortable, except that the victim could have been her twin.

"Just another crime scene," Stella said, going back to examine the body.

Scarlett knelt down before the body and felt like she was looking into a mirror. The victim in front of her was around the same height and had the same dark long hair, high cheekbones, and full lips. They even had the same small nose. Ignoring the obvious similarities, Scarlett started processing the scene and examining the victim. She noticed bruises around the victims wrists and ankles, as if she'd been bound.

She turned the victims head slightly and saw a large wound on the back of her skull. "Blunt force trauma," she muttered to herself.

After Scarlett was finished processing the scene, she shut her kit and tore off her gloves. She turned and walked over to where Flack was standing, interrupting the statement he was in the middle of receiving from the woman who had found the body.

"I was out, walking my dog and he ran over to where she was and then-"

"Go look at her, Flack."

"Let, you're shaking," Flack said to Scarlett, gently grabbing her arm. He looked back at the witness and said, "I've got everything I need ma'm. If you remember anything else, give me a call," Flack said handing her his card.

Flack walked back over to the body with Scarlett, looking at her face. The second he laid eyes on the victim, he knew why Scarlett was so freaked out. The victim could have been Scarlett's twin.

She took in a breath trying to gain her composure. Scarlett was no stranger to brutal killings and bloody crime scenes but this was a little difficult to swallow.

A few minutes later, Mac Taylor and Lindsay Monroe had arrived at the scene.

"The body's ready to be taken back to the lab, Mac. Stella finished photographing the scene, I've collected samples and particulates. We're about done here," Scarlett said, trying to keep her voice flat and professional. She liked Mac and he was an awesome boss, but in front of him she had to keep her emotions in check.

"Alright, go home get some sleep. You've got an early shift tomorrow," Mac said.

Scarlett nodded and walked away from the scene, planning to walk home to try and clear her mind. She may have been tough but even she felt scared and uncomfortable at times.

"Lett, my cars over there," Flack said, pointing to his SUV. "Where are you going?"

"I'm walking home, Don. Goodnight."

She heard his footsteps behind her and she tried to quicken her pace. He reached her and grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him.

"Flack," she whined, "I'm f-"

"No, you aren't."

Scarlett wasn't smiling; her beautiful blue gray eyes looked scared and sad and her lower lip was trembling. He reached over and stroked her hair, pulling in for a hug. She struggled but finally gave in, giving him a tiny hug.

"Please let me go, Don. I don't want a ride. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, standing up on her tip toes to peck him on the cheek.

Flack watched her walk up the street, keeping his eyes on her back until she was out of sight. He knew better than to argue with her, she was stubborn and managed to keep up a tough front, often refusing help even though she obviously needed it. He felt bad for letting her go, but he really had no other choice.

Hours later, Flack was laying in bed, Scarlett's scared face in his mind. He picked up his phone, looking through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for.


	4. Late Night Visitor

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 4: Late Night Visitor**

Hours later it was the middle of the night and Scarlett was laying in bed staring at her ceiling. She had on one of Flack's NYPD t-shirts she had borrowed and conveniently forgotten to return and a pair of black boy shorts. She kicked off her sheets, hoping that she would be able to fall asleep sometime soon. She rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face in her pillow.

Sleep wasn't an option tonight, and she had no one to keep her company. Her roomate, Lindsay, had gone to bed already and she thought about calling Flack but decided against it. It was late, she told herself, plus you acted like a total jerk to him at the crime scene. She shook her head, and muttered, "Idiot," to herself.

A few minutes later, her phone started buzzing. It was Flack. Speak of the devil, she thought to herself.

"Hey Donnie," she said as she answered the phone, her voice low and hoarse.

"Hey kid, I hope you weren't sleeping. I feel terrible about letting you just go home like that all by yourself."

"No, I wasn't. It's fine, Don. I needed the walk."

"Well since you aren't sleeping, can I keep you company?"

Scarlett sighed feeling a familiar feeling of butterflies in her belly. She knew she could use a friend right now especially since she was no where near falling asleep, but she also knew that it wasn't a good idea to hang out with Don in the middle of the night.

"Flack, it's late..." she said reluctantly.

"Too bad, Lett. I'm outside your apartment. Open the door," he said and she could hear the smile in his voice as he hung up.

She got out of bed and tip toed towards the apartment door, not wanting to wake up her cousin. Before she got to the door she peered at herself in the hallway mirror. Even in the middle of the night, she managed to look beautiful. Her blue gray eyes stared back at her and her hair hung in messy waves around and below her shoulders. Her mascara had smudged slightly and somehow she managed to look efortlessly sexy.

She opened the door as quietly as she could and saw Flack standing there with his tie loosened and the top buttons of his white shirt un-done. He couldn't have looked any more handsome if he'd tried.

"Hey, Donnie," she said stepping towards him and hugging him. Don wrapped his arms around Scarlett, breathing in the clean scent of her shampoo.

Don walked in and locked the door behind him. "Linds sleeping?" he asked quietly. Scarlett nodded and walked over to the living room, clicking on the T.V. and settling into the couch cushions. Don sat down next to her and she kicked up her legs, resting them on his lap.

"I was wondering where that shirt went," Flack said, teasingly.

She smiled, "It looks better on me, Flack."

He laughed, "You're right about that, Lett."

Scarlett sighed, "I'm fine. Really," she said even though Don hadn't asked her how she was feeling.

"I know, Lett. I just didn't want you to be sitting here all by yourself."

"How'd you know I'd be awake?" she asked him quietly.

"I know you better than you think," he answered, shifting his eyes over to the T.V.

"Thanks again, Donnie," she said, laying back in the cushions, and smiling. She closed her eyes for a moment. He moved his hands, rubbing her legs lightly. Don watched her relax, and couldn't help but wish he could wrap her up in his arms. He had always been attracted to Scarlett, what man wasn't? She was beautiful. But from the start he'd wanted to keep things professional with her. That hadn't worked out too well, so he'd settled on keeping things friendly. Her blue gray eyes opened and she looked at him smiling sleepily. "Get me a blanket, will ya?"

Don pulled a blanket off of the side of the couch and patted his lap, "Come here," he murmured to her.

Scarlett's eyes widened a little and her mind started racing. _Was he serious? _she thought in her head. Even though she knew that this wasn't what friends did in the the middle of the night, she ignored her head. She scooted over so that Flack could stretch his legs out on the couch. Scarlett crawled over next to him, resting her head on his chest. Flack pulled the blanket on top of the both of them, rubbing Scarlett's hair gently. She breathed in the scent of his cologne and felt herself smile. Luckily, it was dark so he couldn't see the silly grin on her face.

A few moments later she was so comfortable and warm that she closed her eyes and eventually drifted off to sleep. She felt safe in his arms and she never wanted him to leave. She was drifting off to sleep and her him say in a whisper, "Sleep tight, Scarlett..."


	5. Caught in the Act

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 5: Caught in the Act**

Flack held Scarlett tight against his chest, breathing in her scent and listening to the sound of her breathing as she fell asleep in his arms. He could easily get used to this, he thought to himself.

_Stop kidding yourself, you're friends and nothing else._

_But then why are you here if you're friends?_

_Because you needed to comfort your partner._

_In the middle of the night?_

_Yes. That's what friends are for._

The conversation going on in his head was driving him crazy. He was here because he'd wanted to be here for Scarlett. He saw her face at the crime scene and he couldn't get that pained expression out of his face.

A few hours later, the sky outside stared to lighten. Flack had barely slept because he'd had too much on his mind. Scarlett was still fast asleep and he slowly started to sit up, trying not to wake her. He wanted to get out of the apartment before Lindsay woke up. He knew he wasn't doing anything wrong but he also didn't want her to get the wrong idea about the two of them.

Flack finally managed to get himself off of that couch. He reached over and picked up Scarlett, carrying her to her bedroom. He placed her down gently, covering her with her blanket and smiling to himself as he watched her. She was so beautiful, and he wished he could crawl into bed next to her. He kissed her on the cheek and moved towards the door of the apartment.

"Flack?" a voice said from the kitchen, startling him.

"Shit," he muttered, "Hey Lindsay, sorry if I woke you up I was just leaving."

"Sneaking out before you got caught?"

He laughed, "I tried," he said, "but I guess I wasn't sneaky enough for you."

"Goodnight, Flack," Lindsay said, picking up her glass of water and heading back to her room.

Flack stepped out of the apartment, feeling awake and alert even though he'd spent the night watching his partner sleep. He didn't know what exactly he was feeling but he knew he hadn't felt this good in awhile.


	6. The Morning After

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 6: The Morning After**

A loud clap of thunder woke Scarlett and she sat up with a start. She pulled up her sheets tighter around her, shivering slightly. _Why am I here?_ she thought to herself. She could have sworn that she'd fallen asleep on the couch with Flack. Had she dreamt that?

Scarlett reached over to her night stand and grabbed her phone. She had one unread text from Flack that read, _hey lett just left. didn't want to leave you on the couch. sleep tight sweetheart._ She smiled to herself remembering how nice it had been to fall asleep in his arms.

She reluctantly pulled off her sheets and grabbed a pair of gray ratty sweat pants from the floor, tugging them on and making her way into the kitchen.

"Morning, sunshine," Lindsay called to her as Scarlett sat down and placed her head on the kitchen table. She was most definitely not a morning person.

"How'd you sleep?" Lindsay asked her, setting down a steaming hot cup of Folgers coffee in front of her cousin.

Without lifting her head up, Scarlett picked up her hand, making a thumbs down motion.

Lindsay laughed before saying, "Flack must have kept you up all night."

At that, Scarlett lifted her head up, "What?" she asked, confused and a little embarrassed that Lindsay had caught them.

Lindsay went back to making breakfast. "Spill, Lett. Flack woke me up as he was leaving. You should have seen the look on his face," she finished saying, a silly smirk on her face. "So, since I know all about your little late night rendezvous, you may as well spill the beans."

"There are no beans to spill, Linds. Sorry to disappoint you," she said sarcastically, picking up her coffee and taking a few slow sips.

"Why was he over here?" Linds asked curiously.

"Long story. I got a little, um, upset at last night's crime scene and he just came by to keep me company because I couldn't sleep," Scarlett answered. Lame, lame, lame. She knew Lindsay wasn't going to buy that explanation.

Lindsay raised an eyebrow at her. "My bedrooms down the hall if you ever need late night "comforting." But of course, I'm not as handsome as Don," she said, laughing.

"Shut up, Linds," Scarlett answered.

"But, seriously," Lindsay said, "What's the deal with you two?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Scarlett said. "I mean, you and I both know he's not looking to settle down. Remember what happened at the benefit? Besides, he might not even be into me in that way."

Lindsay gave her a look, "First of all, nothing happened at the benefit. You kissed. You saw him leave with Denise Richardson and what? You don't know if anything happened. Second, you never actually asked him what he's looking for. Third, if you're just someone's friend, you don't comfort them in the middle of the night."

Lindsay was out of breath at the end of her explanation, but she'd hoped at least part of what she'd said had sunk into Scarlett's stubborn head. She was guarded with her heart, anyone who'd been heartbroken was that way, but Scarlett took it to a whole 'nother level.

"What's your point?" Scarlett asked, knowing all too well that Lindsay was probably right.

"My point is that you need to talk to him. Say something. Bring up the subject of the two of you," Lindsay offered.

"I can't do that," Scarlett said, shaking her pretty head, "I don't want to hear what he has to say if it's bad."

Lindsay through a dish towel at her, "Seriously? Get a grip," she said.

Scarlett smirked. "What about you and Danny? I see tons of talk, and no action. Don't expect to push me into throwing myself onto Don when you won't even agree to go out to dinner with the guy and he's clearly very, very into you."

Lindsay smiled like a happy little kid when Scarlett mentioned Danny.

"See?" Scarlett said, "Look at you right now."

"Point taken," Lindsay said with a little chuckle.

Scarlett stood up and stretched herself out. "I've got the early shift today," she complained. She picked up her coffee and walked over to her bedroom silently her eyes stopping on the couch in the living room for a moment, remembering just badly she'd wanted to pull Flack's face towards her and kiss him. It would have been hard to stop if she'd started...


	7. Serial Killer

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 7: Serial Killer**

"Danno," Flack said with his signature charming smile as he walked into the crime lab. "I've got nothing on last night's vic. As far as we know, she's still a Jane Doe. Nothing in missing person's."

"Thanks, Flack," Danny Messer answered. "Did you see Scarlett's face at the scene?"

Flack nodded, remembering the hurt in her eyes. He also remembered how calm and safe she looked wrapped up in his arms. "She was freaked out. I don't blame her, I would have been too."

Danny nodded, a smirk on his handsome face. "Bet she needed some late night comfort, eh?"

Flack knew exactly what Danny was talking about but decided that it would be much more amusing to play dumb. "Late night comfort, Messer? What did you have in mind?"

Danny laughed, "I didn't have anything in mind but a little bird told me you spent the night with a certain CSI."

Flack smirked, and finally gave in. "Fine. I may have spent the night with Scarlett. But not in the way that you're thinking."

"Didn't get lucky, eh? I'm disappointed in you, Flack. When Lindsay told me she caught you sneaking out of their apartment, I thought I was gonna have to congratulate you."

"Maybe another time, Messer," Flack said, walking away from Danny, laughing to himself. That guy was a piece of work.

* * *

><p>Scarlett arrived at the lab fifteen minutes later. She hurried over to her office, hoping no one would notice that she was late. "Where's the fire, Lett?" she heard Danny Messer call out to her as he saw her sprinting down the hall.<p>

"Shut up, Messer," she called out, taking off her black rain coat and shaking out her hair which was slightly damp from the down pour outside. She hated being late but she just couldn't make it out of her apartment on time. She ran a hand through her wet hair and decided to throw it all up in a bun. She sat down behind her desk, first checking her phone, and then fiddling with a pen before moving the stack of files towards her.

She pushed the files away and instead thought back to last night. She hadn't seen or talked to Flack yet this morning. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel his strong hands caressing her. The thought alone gave her goosebumps.

Twenty minutes later Danny barged into her office, interrupting her day dream. "Scarlett, we've got a crime scene. Another body in Central Park. Mac said it's urgent."

Scarlett looked up at Danny, trying to get the stupid grin off of her face, "Did he request for me to be at the scene?"

Danny nodded, "He told me to drag you out there if I had to."

"Not necessary," she answered, grabbing her coat and following Danny out the door. A crime scene was always more interesting than a stack of paperwork.

* * *

><p>"Second body this week in Central Park. Mac said if the deaths are similar in any way we may have a serial on our hands," Danny said to Scarlett as they sped to the scene.<p>

"Let's hope not," she muttered, drumming her fingers on the crime scene kit in her lap. As they drove, Scarlett began to start feeling nervous. What if the body they were going to see had something to do with the body they found last night? She scolded herself mentally for jumping to conclusions. _You're a CSI and a damn good detective. You work with evidence. You don't jump to silly conclusions. Even if they were related, it's just another crime scene._

"You okay?" Danny asked her, glancing at her momentarily before looking back at the road.

Scarlett hated that question. "I'm fine, Danny. Why?" she answered coldly, narrowing her eyes and instantly regretting her little moody outburst.

"Nothing, you just look a little, uh, bent outta shape today." Danny wanted to ask her about Flack just to satisfy his curiosity but decided that this probably wasn't the best time. Scarlett was looking a little annoyed and distracted.

She shook her head, and kept her eyes out the passenger window, everything blurrying together because of the heavy rain. Her eyes widened as they approached the scene. "Why is everyone and their mother's here?" Scarlett asked Danny, a confused expression on her face.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Mac said it was urgent. I didn't have time for questions."

Scarlett jumped out of the car and jogged over to Stella while trying, and failing, to shield herself from the rain, "Whats going on here? One body and the whole NYPD and crime lab make their way out to the scene?"

"Mac said that it looks like it could be a possible serial, but we aren't sure yet," Stella said, "Check out the body."

Scarlett turned toward the victim and was surprised to see another familiar face staring back at her. "Oh, no," she muttered to herself. The victim looked a lot like last night's Jane Done. Naturally, she also resembled Scarlett.

"Do we have cause of death on this one? Or last night's?" Scarlett asked, crossing her arms over her chest. The rain was dripping down her face, blurrying her vision slightly.

Hawkes looked up from examining the body, "Last night's Jane Doe died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head. From what I can see here, so did this one. The wounds look nearly identical. There's bruising along her wrists and ankles as well, she must have been tied up before she was killed. I'll have to get her back to the lab before I let you know anymore, Scarlett."

"Thanks, Hawkes," she said, giving him a forced smile. She'd barely heard a word he'd said. All she wanted to know was whether or not the two death's were related.

"Come down to autopsy before you leave for the day and I'll give you my full report."

She nodded and turned to Mac who was calling her over.

"Scarlett, over here," Mac yelled to her from the side, where he stood with Flack who'd just arrived at the scene.

We've got a similar M.O. here so I'm thinking serial," Mac said gravely.

Scarlett noticed Flack's eyes on her but neither of them said anything. Instead they listened to Mac's orders.

"This case is top priority. I don't want you working on any other cases. Two bodies in two days...we really need to get this guy before we find a third."

She nodded and watched Mac walk over to another officer. She stood silently next to Flack, feeling tense and anxious. She let out a deep breath and tried to calm herself. This wasn't going to get any easier but she knew she needed to keep her emotions in check so she could do her work properly. It was difficult to get any work done in the rain so after the processing was finished, the team headed back to the lab.


	8. Blood on the Wall

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 8: Blood on the Wall**

Back at the lab, Scarlett tugged on her wet clothes uncomfortably. She'd gotten soaked at the crime scene and was considering taking a trip home to change.

Scarlett spotted Flack's tall figure about to get on the elevator, and she called out after him, "Donnie, wait up!" She jogged the last few steps, her wet shoes squeaking on the floor, and made it into the elevator, slightly out of breath. "Where are you headed now?" she asked him.

"Well, I was about to head out for a cup of coffee while I wait for a lead to turn up. And now I'm suspecting that a certain pretty lady needs my help?" he said with his signature charming smile.

She smiled at him, feeling momentarily relaxed by his presence. "I need a ride to my apartment. I have to get out of these clothes and then head back to the lab to pick up another shift. Mac needs all the help he can get on this case. But first, we need to see Hawkes down in autopsy because I need his report on today's Jane Doe."

"And you'd like my help in getting out of your clothes?" Flack asked, winking at Scarlett.

She laughed, and playfully slapped Flack's arm. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Flack pretended to think about her question, even though they both knew what the answer was.

"Anyway, perv, I need a ride by my apartment."

"You got it," he said with a wink, letting Scarlett out of the elevator first.

* * *

><p>"Hawkes," Scarlett said as she walked into autopsy with Flack, "Please tell me you've got that report ready for me."<p>

Hawkes looked up from the body, his warm brown eyes smiling up at Flack and Scarlett before he said, "You sound like Mac. I'm good, but I'm not that good."

Scarlett eyed the body for a moment before looking back at Hawkes. She wrapped her arms around herself and said apologetically, "I'm sorry Hawkes. It's urgent. Mac wants confirmation on his serial killer theory and I'm getting a little antsy."

"I'll send my report up to Mac when I'm done, but it looks like he was right."

"What'd you find?" Flack asked, his tone serious.

"Both Jane Doe's have the same types of perimortem bruising on their wrists and ankles as well as heavy bruising all over their arms and legs. They really took a beating. It appears that their wrists and ankles were bound by a thick rope," he said pointing towards Jane Doe's wrists and ankles before continuing, "I sent some fibers up to trace which may lead to a specific manufacturer. The cause of death on both was blunt force trauma with a heavy object, something like a wrench or a bat. There was also an oily substance on the head wound which I swabbed."

Scarlett nodded, "Thanks, Hawkes. I'll be back in a little while to see if you find anything more. Flack's taking me home to change," she said, gesturing toward her wet clothing.

"Alright, I'll keep you updated," Hawkes said, going back to his examination.

* * *

><p>Scarlett was silent during their walk to the parking garage where Flack had left his car. He opened the door for her and she got in, slumping against the seat and shutting her eyes for a moment.<p>

"You need to relax kid," Flack said to her as he sat into the driver's seat. His blue eyes gentle and concerned. "Mac and Hawkes have got everything under control." He reached over and gently squeezed her leg. There wasn't anything sexual about the gesture but she still felt goosebumps creep up along her body.

"I know, Donnie. I'm just worried. And tired. I've had a long day."

"You shouldn't be tired, you were up snoring all night," he said with wink, as he put his car into reverse and started pulling out of the garage.

Scarlett managed to smile. "You jerk. I happen to know for a fact that I do not snore. Did you stay up all night watching me, huh? I'm gonna think twice about ever letting you sleep over again you creep."

They kept this playful banter up all the way to Scarlett's apartment. "I'll be right out," she said, getting out of the car and jogging over to the entrance of the lobby. The rain had finally let up and she couldn't wait to change and dive right back into her work. She took the stairs, two at a time, and froze when she reached her floor and got a glimpse of her doorway. There was blood smeared all over the door, in messy letters spelling out a message.

Scarlett's heart began to race as she made a grab for the handle before stopping herself. _No, Lindsay's okay she's still at the lab_, she thought to herself. She considered opening up the door and seeing if there was any damage to the inside of her apartment. She stopped herself when she realized she'd left her piece in Flack's car.

"Dammit," she muttered, her hands trembling. The initial shock had worn off and she was trying her best not to cry. She turned and ran back down the stairs towards the one person who she knew would keep her safe.


	9. Panicked and Shocked

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 9: Panicked and Shocked**

Flack kept his eyes on the building and a few moments later he saw Scarlett run out, sheer terror on her face. She ran over to his car, unable to speak. He stepped out and met her on the sidewalk. He immediately went into his protective cop mode when he saw the panic in her eyes.

"Are you hurt, Lett?" he asked, concern on his face.

She shook her head, "No, not me," she answered shakily.

"Is Lindsay okay?" Flack asked, rubbing Scarlett's arms up and down, trying to stop her from trembling.

Scarlett nodded, "She's not home, she's, - " She couldn't finish her sentence because her blue gray eyes started filling with tears. She opened her mouth, trying to speak but she couldn't get any words out. Her lower lip was trembling and she bit down on it, trying to calm herself down.

Embarrassed that she was such an emotional wreck, she looked down at her feet. Flack placed a finger under her chin, tilting her face up so that he could look into her eyes.

"Tell me where Lindsay is," he said soothingly.

"The crime lab," Scarlett finally managed to choke out.

Flack nodded, deciding that the best way for him to find out what the hell was going on was by going into the building himself. He grabbed Scarlett's hand, pulling her along with him. When they reached Scarlett's floor, Flack froze when he saw the message written out in what had to be blood.

"Two warnings is all you get. You're next," he read out loud. "What the hell is this?" he muttered to himself. Scarlett broke free from the vice-like grip he suddenly had on her hand and sat down on the stairs, sniffling and wiping her nose on her sleeve like a little girl.

Flack picked up his phone and immediately called Mac. "I need you out here at Scarlett and Lindsay's apartment. I haven't looked inside yet but there's a message on her door," he lowered his voice when repeating the message out loud, "Two warnings is all you get. You're next. This looks bad, Mac. You should probably bring Stella."

Flack listened for a few moments to what Mac had to say and then hung up. He walked over to where Scarlett was slumped against the wall and reached his hand out to help her stand up. "Come here," he whispered quietly. He pulled her into a tight embrace, feeling her shake. He looked down into her eyes, "You're shaking, Lett."

Scarlett tried to regain her composure as best as she could. She blinked back another wave of tears and finally managed to say, "I'm okay, really, I'm fine. I'm just a little freaked out. At first I thought something had happened to Lindsay but when I realized she was still at the lab, I just felt scared."

Flack nodded, "Understandable, kid."

"What does this mean, Flack? Is someone after me?" she froze for a moment, the panic returning into her eyes, "What if this has to do with the two Jane Doe's we found in Central Park?"

"Don't try and come up with a theory just yet. Wait until Mac gets her and processes the place. Until then," he said taking off his suit jacket, "Put this on and sit down."


	10. Protect Me

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 10: Protect Me**

Twenty minutes later, it looked like just another crime scene in front of that gruesome apartment door. Scarlett slumped back against the stairs, trying to keep back from all of the commotion. The stress was getting to her and she felt a migraine coming on. She leaned her cheek against the cool wall next to her, still trying to shake the fear she was feeling.

Shortly after Flack's phone call, Mac and Stella arrived at the scene. Mac went straight to work, expertly processing the scene. The substance on Scarlett's door tested positive for human blood, just like Scarlett had thought it would. As she watched him take samples of the blood, Scarlett felt a little bit better knowing Mac was taking a personal interest in this. He was thorough and experienced and would definitely find any shred of evidence, no matter how small or insignificant it would have seemed to someone else.

Stella walked over to where Scarlett was sitting and gently placed a hand on her shoulder before sitting down next to her. "How are you feeling, kid?" she asked her kindly.

Scarlett shook her head, "Scared? Worried? I don't even know."

"You know, we're going to find out who did this, Scarlett. And, we're going to keep you safe in the meantime."

Scarlett couldn't help but smile at Stella. "Thank you, Stella. I really mean that." She reached over and squeezed the older woman's hand suddenly grateful that she had such an awesome team of people behind her.

"You know, you're probably going to need to stay somewhere for the next few days. This is a crime scene and if the perp knows where you live, we definitely don't want you anywhere near here."

Scarlett nodded, "Yea I might check in to a hotel for a few days."

"You can stay with me for a few days if you'd like. It's always better being with a friend," Stella said smiling kindly.

Scarlett was about to answer her when Flack interrupted, "Stell, she's staying with me." Scarlett knew better than to argue with him, especially now. He'd been walking around from door to door asking her neighbors if they'd seen anything.

Stella stood up and walked over to where Flack was, out of Scarlett's earshot. "You sure about this?"

Don nodded, "I'm sure and it's not a problem. I'm not letting that girl out of my sight," he said, looking over at Scarlett, his blue eyes flashing with a sort of protective fire.

"You're a great friend, Don" Stella said to Flack, giving him a small smile. "Did the neighbors see anything?"

Don smirked, "When does anyone ever see anything?"

"Good point," Stella said with a small smile before walking over to help Mac finish up processing.

Flack went over to Scarlett and sat down next to her. He wrapped an arm around her and she sunk into his embrace. She didn't care if anyone witness their little public display of affection. All she cared about at this moment was figuring out what the hell was going on.

"I'm going to keep you safe, Lett. I promise," Flack said sincerely, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"I know, Donnie," she said and stood up when she heard loud footsteps on the staircase. A few seconds later she heard Lindsay calling her name and she stepped forward to meet her cousin in a tight embrace.

"I'm okay, Linds. I promise I'm okay," Scarlett whispered to Lindsay. "I thought something had happened to you when I saw all of the blood and then I just -," she started to say, but couldn't finish because she started crying.

Mac walked over to the cousins, a triumphant smile on his face. "I've managed to lift a few prints. With any luck, we'll get a match. For the time being you two obviously know you can't stay here. It's best if you both take the rest of the day off. Go get some rest, you guys look like you need it."

Scarlett was about to protest when Lindsay cut in, "We'll see you at the lab tomorrow, Mac."

Scarlett gave her cousin a look. She wanted to be at the lab as soon as possible because she knew there was a lot to be done. She sighed, knowing her cousin was right. There was no use in protesting, Mac had already given them the rest of the day off.

Finally, only Danny, Lindsay, Flack, and Scarlett were left in the apartment. They made their way out of the building silently, each one feeling the exhaustion of the day set in.

"You guys up for some beers?" Danny asked the group, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Scarlett shook her head, "I'm not really in the mood for anything."

"I think I'm just gonna take her back to my place," Flack said to Danny. "If anything, we'll catch up with you guys later."

Scarlett watched Danny and Lindsay walk off, a sly smile forming on her face. "What's funny is those two are finally gonna be spending the night together."

Flack managed a laugh, "I'll make sure to give him crap about it tomorrow." He pulled Scarlett toward him, "Everything's gonna be okay, I promise. Let's go back to my place."

Wordlessly, she nodded. She knew he was right. Besides, there wasn't any other person in the world she'd trusted more with her life and her safety.


	11. What if We?

**A/N: I had a lot of fun writing chapters 11 & 12 and I hope you enjoy them both! I'd love to hear some feedback on the story as well.**

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 11: What if We...?**

Flack drove to his apartment in silence with Scarlett sitting just as quietly in the passenger seat. They were both lost in their own worlds, each going over the events of the day. Scarlett was trying as hard as she could to mentally solve the mystery of the message on her door but she was drawing a big fat blank.

"Stop worrying about the message, Lett," Flack said to her quietly, taking his eyes off of the road for a brief moment to look at her.

She wrinkled her eyebrows and started to say, "How did you know I -?"

"You've got this look on your face...I haven't seen you look this frustrated in a long time."

Scarlett sighed and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Flack. I must be driving you crazy. I'm just trying to figure out what the hell the message meant. I mean, I know my job isn't exactly safe but it isn't often that I actually have people coming after me."

He shook his head, "No, you aren't driving me crazy." He laughed a little, a smile breaking out on his face, "But if you were a normal person, you'd be worried about your life instead of trying to figure out how to solve this case. You're one of the most devoted CSI I've ever had the pleasure to work with."

She laughed, "Thanks, Donnie. I can't help it, it just comes naturally to me. I've let go of the fear that comes along with the job a long time ago."

He nodded, "I know exactly what you mean. But," he paused for a moment, hesitating slightly before continuing, "you need to understand where I'm coming from... I'm a cop and I have a job to do. I need to protect you and I need to find the son of a bitch that's responsible for this. I can't have you running around New York trying to solve this case on your own."

She looked at him, anger flashing in her blue gray eyes. Icily, she answered, "Don, I don't need you to tell me how to do my job."

"I'm not telling you how to do your job. I'm only telling you to be careful. I know you, Lett. If you had it your way you'd be at the lab right now or out on the streets trying to hunt this guy down by yourself."

Scarlett turned her body towards the passenger side window and crossed her arms over her chest. At the moment, she didn't feel like continuing this conversation and she remained silent. Of course she knew Don had a point. She was a take charge kind of girl and that made her excellent at her job. She was more than happy to know she had Flack to protect her but he was taking this a little too seriously. He could try and keep her safe all he wanted but he couldn't expect to tell her what she could or couldn't do. Scarlett had never been good at taking orders from anyone.

The tension between them remained while they were climbing the stairs to Flack's apartment. "You're mad," Flack said to Scarlett's back since she was a few steps ahead of him. It was more of a statement than a question.

Scarlett stopped and turned on her heel to face Flack. She was a few steps up, so she stood at eye level with him. She jabbed a finger into his chest and started to say, "Look, Flack, I need you to - " she stopped mid-sentence when she saw the look in his beautiful blue eyes. There was nothing but genuine concern on his face, he wasn't trying to control her. _God, I'm so messed up_, she thought to herself. She was going to tell him he needed to stop giving her orders, but she stopped herself. Instead she bit down lightly on her full bottom lip and felt her blue gray eyes soften. She looked down at her feet and then back up into his eyes. "No, I'm not mad. I'm just a little -," she paused, looking for the right word, "touchy today. That's right, I'm just touchy."

Flack nodded. He hadn't been offended by her outburst. He knew she'd had a hard day. He also knew that he'd crossed the line a little when he told her to be careful with this case. When they were inside his tiny apartment, he locked the door behind him and turned towards Scarlett, all the tension in his voice gone, "Wanna help out with dinner?"

Scarlett nodded excitedly, appreciating the change in conversation. "I'd love to. I need to see what you've got in your fridge but I'm sure I can whip something up." She went on, rambling about various recipes and dishes she knew how to cook. Once they were in Flack's kitchen, Scarlett was still talking, "and, Lindsay says I make a mean lasagna. So it really depends on - ," Flack cut her off at that point, leaning over and pulling open one of his kitchen drawers.

"Take your pick," he said tossing a thick stack of take-out menus at her, a grin on his handsome face. She could tell he had found her knowledge of recipes rather amusing.

She laughed and tossed a dirty dish towel at him. "You could have just said you wanted me to pick take-out!" she said before jumping up lightly to sit on the counter. She crossed her legs and tossed her long brown hair over to one shoulder before flipping through the menus. Flack was watching her as she did this and he couldn't help but admire how adorable she looked in his kitchen. To be perfectly honest with himself, he could get used to having her here.

Finally, she said, "I'll have a burger with cheese, tomatoes, onions, and pickles. Well-done. With a plate of fries." She hungrily licked her lips and hopped off the counter, slapping the menu against Flack's muscular chest. "And, a beer. Thanks, Flack." She smirked and made her way out of the kitchen and into his living room.

She heard him call out, "Chef Monroe, I expect a nice juicy steak one of these nights."

She laughed as she dropped onto his couch, sinking into the soft cushions. "Dream, on Donnie." She rolled over and closed her eyes for a moment. The exhaustion of the day had definitely gotten to her.

A while later she rolled off of the couch and decided to take a quick shower. She padded over to the bathroom, stripping off her white t-shirt and dropping it on the floor. After kicking off her jeans, she turned on the water, waiting for it to get hot. While under the steaming water, she thought about her earlier conversation with Flack. _Maybe you should apologize to him. I mean, he's only doing his job and he obviously cares about you._ She felt slightly guilty for her earlier outburst and even though she'd already apologized, she felt she owed Flack a better explanation.

Scarlett stepped out of the shower, droplets of water dripping off her taut body and onto the bathroom tiles. She realized she hadn't brought a change of clothes with her so she looked around for a towel. Instead, she saw Don's navy blue bathrobe hanging up on the back of the door. She threw it on her shivering frame and fastened it tightly around her tiny waist. The robe was dragging on the floor slightly and it swallowed up her five foot five petite frame.

"Donnie, can I get something to wear?" she called out as she stepped out of the bathroom. No answer. _That's weird_, she thought to herself. She shrugged and figured she would just help herself to a t-shirt and a pair of boxers from his bedroom. She snuck into his room, closing the door quietly behind her. She walked over to his closet which had mirrored doors running from top to bottom. She untied the knot around her waist and let the bathrobe slide off her slender shoulders, landing at her feet. A moment later, Flack stepped into the room, surprise on his face. He wasn't wearing a shirt and she couldn't help admire his muscular chest in the mirror.

"Shit, sorry, Lett," he finally said, a little embarrassed that he'd walked in on her naked. He was about to turn and walk out of the room but she stopped him.

"It's okay, Don," she whispered, her voice low and sexy. Her skin was was still slightly damp from her shower and the wet hair that was hanging all around her face and back was leaving glistening drops of water on her smooth skin. "Come here," she whispered gently, watching him walk slowly towards her. She turned to meet him and looked up into his blue eyes. She couldn't help but notice the lusty look he was giving her.

"I'm sorry for what I said before, Don. I know you only want what's best for me," she whispered. "Now," she said, reaching forward and placing a hand on his chest, "touch me." Flack was more than happy to fulfill her request. He put his large hands on her tiny waist, loving how soft her skin felt under his hands. He pulled her closer to him, admiring her body. Scarlett may have been small and petite, but she definitely had curves in all the right places. Don lifted her up easily and she wrapped her long legs around his waist. He leaned in to kiss away the droplets of water on her chest and neck, giving her goosebumps.

Finally, they were face to face, their noses touching and their lips only centimeters apart. Scarlett tilted her head and leaned in closer, pressing her soft full lips onto his. He kissed her back, urgently and passionately. Scarlett couldn't get enough of his mouth. His kisses were hot and his lips tasted salty. She let a low moan slip out of her mouth...


	12. All in My Head

**A/N: Hope my readers liked these two chapters! I personally really like them. I have a lot of time to write today so there may be a few more chapters up by tonight/tomorrow morning!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 12: All in My Head**

A hand on Scarlett's shoulder shook her gently and she woke with a start. Disoriented and confused, she looked around seeing Don's face only a few inches from hers. She blinked her eyes sleepily a few times, grabbing at her clothes. She wasn't naked and she wasn't wearing a fuzzy bathrobe. Instead, she was still wearing the white t-shirt and jeans she'd had on earlier that day. "What the hell," she muttered to herself.

He smiled apologetically and said, "Sorry, Lett. You passed out on the couch. I didn't want to wake you but our food just got here." He placed a plastic bag onto the living room table along with two open Coronas.

Scarlett grabbed at her clothes again, still expecting to feel a fuzzy bathrobe around her body. _Did I dream all of that? I must have. But it had felt so damn real._ She stood up and shook her head. Scarlett walked over to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. _Get a grip on yourself._

Flack watched her walk away, shaking his head from side to side, an amused smile on his face. That girl was definitely something else.

She stood in front of the bathroom sink looking into the mirror above it and saw her wide-eye reflection staring back at her. She smoothed her hair down, raking her fingers through it. She splashed her face with cold water, trying to calm her flushed skin. What if she'd been talking in her sleep? she thought, an embarrassed panic flooding her. She stepped out of the bathroom and sat back down on the couch, picking up her carton of food and taking a swig of her beer.

"Don?" she asked hesitantly, popping open her styrofoam container.

"Hmm?" he asked, biting into his burger.

"Was I by any chance talking in my sleep?" Scarlett was secretly praying that the answer was no. She wasn't in the mood for explaining why she'd been moaning Flack's name in her sleep.

He shook his head, looking slightly amused as he chewed, "No, why? What exactly were you dreaming about?"

"Just, um, nothing. Bad dream," she muttered, feeling relief wash over her. It hadn't been a bad dream at all but Flack would have been the first one to bust her chops for saying something silly in her sleep. Suddenly feeling very hungry, she picked up her burger and took a huge bite out of it.

"Have you heard from Mac yet?" she asked, putting the dream out of her mind. She washed the burger down with another sip of her beer, savoring the taste.

Flack shook his head, "Give them some time to do their jobs properly, Lett."

She knew she was being impatient but she couldn't help it. She needed to get back to the lab as soon as she could to get back into work. Having time to herself was clearly driving her crazy. What the hell was going on in her head?

"I know but they must have started going through the evidence they collected at my apartment," she answered between mouthfuls of food.

"Mac said he'd call the second they found out anything important. How about you try and enjoy your evening off, eh?"

"You're right," she muttered, dropping her half-eaten burger back into the carton and laying down on the couch. "I'm just going crazy here not knowing what the hell is going on." She sat up, a thought suddenly occurring to her. "I may have off, but why are you off work?"

He looked up from his burger, "Mac didn't tell you? I'm your unofficial bodyguard. Which means that I'm technically at work right now."

She groaned, "Are you serious? They're actually assigning you to babysit me?"

"Not babysit, exactly. Just make sure some crazy idiot doesn't try and kidnap or kill you."

She made a face at him, and said "Fair enough." She couldn't argue with that logic. Instead, she'd have to appreciate all of the help she was getting. Scarlett heard her phone ringing from the kitchen, where she'd left it. As she ran over to pick it up, she crossed her fingers hoping it was news of progress in the investigation.


	13. Out of Focus

**A/N: Rather long but I hope you all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 13: Out of Focus**

"Detective Monroe," Scarlett said breathlessly, grabbing her phone before it went to voicemail. Lindsay's voice greeted her on the other line. Slightly disappointed, Scarlett slumped against the counter. She had been hoping it was Mac.

"Hey, Linds, what are you and Danny up to?" she asked.

"Guess you were expecting someone else? I'm just hanging out in Danny's apartment now. He went over to the lab to check up on things," Lindsay said and Scarlett could here her chewing.

"Ew, Linds, you know I hate when you do that," she said, making a face.

"Sorry, Lett," Lindsay paused for a few moments before continuing, "Danny made me the best pasta and I was just so hungry."

"Right, so I take it you too are getting along quite well."

She heard Lindsay laugh on the other line, "I know what you're thinking, Scarlett, and we're getting along just fine. As friends," she said, stressing the word friends.

"You know what Linds? You're just in denial," Scarlett said, stressing the word denial.

"Enough about me and Danny, how are you and Flack doing?" Lindsay asked curiously.

"Fine," Scarlett muttered, lowering her voice down a notch, "I need to tell you about the dream I had." Scarlett heard Flack walk into the kitchen so she quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, when Danny gets back from the lab call me back immediately. I mean, immediately."

"Sure thing," Lindsay said cheerfully and hung up on her cousin.

Scarlett dropped her phone back on Flack's counter, crossing her arms over her chest. "Danny went back to the lab to check up on things and Lindsay is going to call me if she hears any news."

Flack smiled at Scarlett and then said, "Good thing you found out he went. I have a feeling you'd be dragging me over there if you hadn't heard from anyone."

"You know me too well," Scarlett said and walked over to Flack's fridge. She pulled open the door and grabbed two more beers. She tossed them to Flack who opened one bottle using the other. He passed one back to Scarlett who clinked her beer with his. "Cheers," she said before taking a long sip.

An hour later, after a few more beers, Flack and Scarlett were lounging around on the couch. Slightly drunk, Scarlett grabbed the remote from Flack and sat clicking through the channels. She finally gave up and dropped the remote on the floor. She lay her head back, resting it on Flack's stomach. "Donnie, your ceiling," she said with a giggle, pointing her finger upwards.

Flack laughed, "What about it?"

"It's moving," she answered seriously.

"I think someone has had a little too much to drink," he said gently to Scarlett.

She sat up quickly, whipping him in the face with her hair. Her head was spinning so she laid back down immediately. "Maybe," she said with a chuckle. She curled up and rested her head on a pillow, closing her eyes. "Or maybe I'm just getting started," she said and let her hand drop off the couch to search for the beer she could have sworn she left there. Lindsay had never called her back but Scarlett was too concerned with finding her beer to be stressing over the case at the moment.

"Okay, Lett. Time for bed," Flack said, standing up and stretching himself out. They'd had about the same amount of beers except Scarlett and her tiny frame really couldn't hold their alcohol as well as Flack could. He lifted Scarlett up gently, which was easy since she was so little.

He carried her over to his bedroom, and placed her down on his bed. He was trying to get her to climb under the covers but gave up once she started protesting. "Goodnight, Donnie," she whispered lightly.

"Goodnight, Lett," he said. He was going to sleep on the couch tonight, although he really would have loved to curl up next to Scarlett. Flack was about to leave the room when Scarlett's voice stopped him.

"Donnie, aren't you gonna kiss me goodnight?" she asked, slurring her words a bit.

He hesitated slightly. There was absolutely no way he was going to take advantage of her when she was in this state. He moved towards her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. He felt Scarlett's hand on his cheek, trying to guide his face so that she could kiss him on the lips. He moved her hand gently and kissed her on the cheek, backing out of the room before anything else could happen.

Scarlett woke up the next morning with a headache. The sun was streaming in through the windows, hitting her right in the face. She groaned and covered her face with a pillow. She had a little hangover, nothing major, but she still felt awful. Why had she decided it was a good idea to get drunk? Probably to stop herself from worrying about the case. She slapped a hand on her face when she remembered her proposition to Flack. _Aren't you gonna kiss me goodnight? Why are you so stupid, Scarlett, why?_

She wandered into the kitchen where a shirtless Flack was already making coffee. Scarlett leaned against the counter and ran her hands through her messy hair. "I'm sorry for being an annoying drunk last night, Flack," she said bluntly.

"Goodmorning to you too, Lett," Flack said, trying to hold back a laugh. "Don't worry about it. I thought it was kind of cute that you wanted to kiss me."

Scarlet gave him a look, raising one eyebrow. She felt her face flush slightly. "No, I didn't mean to say that, I just - "

Flack winked at her, "You look cute when you blush, you know that?"

She turned away from him, feeling her face grow even hotter. "I hate you," she mumbled and fixed herself a cup of coffee with cream and two sugars. Damn him for making her feel even more uncomfortable. Technically, he hadn't done anything wrong but he didn't have to tease her about it.

Instead, she changed the subject, "Has Mac called you yet?" She suddenly remembered that Lindsay had forgotten to call her last night and she was anxious to know if there'd been any news.

Flack shook his head, "No, but Danny told me that you and Lindsay have the evening shift today. Mac was going to give you girls another day off but he figured it was useless since he knew you'd show up at the lab anyway."

"Smart man," she said, sipping on her coffee. "I need to run out and pick up a few things to wear since I can't get into my apartment. I'll probably take Lindsay with me so my bodyguard can have the morning to himself," she said, smirking at him.

He laughed and said, "In that case your bodyguard will see you later."

Scarlett smiled at him and went to go get her purse. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was some sort of awkward tension between them. _Was this because of what I said last night?_ she thought to herself. _No, that was nothing. Maybe Lindsay was right, maybe I do have to talk to Flack...eventually,_ she finally decided. She called out a quick goodbye to Flack who was still in the kitchen, and slipped out of his apartment and onto the busy city sidewalk.

* * *

><p>Flack heard Scarlett leave and ran a hand through his hair. God, last night he'd been tempted to kiss her. But he knew that wasn't the best idea, given the circumstances. She'd been drunk and he would have been an idiot to take advantage of her. He shook his head, trying to figure out exactly what was going on between the two of them. He couldn't quite figure it out either. Now probably wasn't the best time to bring anything up since they were in the middle solving a dangerous case.<p>

At that moment, Flack's phone rang jerking him back to the present. "Detective Flack," he said, his tone serious.

"Hey Don, it's Mac," Detective Taylor's voice said from the other line.

"Hey, Mac. Any news yet? Scarlett's been going stir crazy."

"Actually, yes and it's pretty serious."

"I'm listening," Flack said.

"The blood we found on Scarlett and Lindsay's apartment door matches the blood from our second Jane Doe so whoever killed her is likely after Scarlett. Is she with you?"

"No, she went out to meet Lindsay and then she'll probably head back to my apartment or over to the lab."

"Right, well I'll tell her myself when she gets here," Mac said and hung up the phone.

Flack stuffed his phone in his pocket, feeling restless and worried now that he'd let Scarlett out of his sight. He knew she was with Lindsay but he felt better when he could keep an eye on her himself.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Scarlett sat at a table in Starbucks, surrounded by shopping bags. Lindsay sat down across from her, placing their iced lattes on the table. Scarlett picked hers up and took a generous sip. "Mmm," she said, "This is delicious." Running around the city all morning had been exhausting and the girls still had a shift at the lab to look forward to. Scarlett had told Lindsay all about her dream, which Lindsay had found extremely amusing.<p>

Scarlett placed her latte down in front of her, and rubbed her eyes gently. She'd thrown her hair up in a knot on top of her head and she wasn't wearing any makeup.

"You look like, well, you need some sleep," Lindsay said to her cousin.

"I look like crap, I know, I know," Scarlett muttered. "Don't make me feel any worse."

"Sorry," Lindsay said, shrugging apologetically.

"It's not your fault, Linds. It's this case and that message on our door. I can't stop thinking about it. I feel like I should be able to put the pieces together and figure out who is after me but I can't. I'm drawing a blank."

"Lett, you're gonna go nuts if you keep doing this to yourself. Mac and Stella are doing all they can and we just need to wait and see what happens. Besides, we'll be in the lab later on and then you can get your hands on the evidence," Lindsay said soothingly.

"Once again, I know you're right," Scarlett sighed, kicking her flats off and rubbing her aching feet.

"Something else is on your mind, isn't it?" Lindsay asked.

Scarlett nodded, "This situation with Flack. It's driving me crazy. I'm starting to think this may be why I'm not thinking clearly. Maybe I need to pull myself away from him so that I can solve this case with my head on straight."

Lindsay shook her head, "I really don't think that's the problem. I mean, don't push him away just because you're afraid of what could happen. You're just making excuses and you know it."

Scarlett threw her hands up, "I don't know. But I do know that if we don't get moving, we're gonna be late for our shift. I still need to shower and change. I'll meet you back at the lab?"

Lindsay nodded and smiled at her cousin, "See ya." Scarlett took off for Flack's apartment, shopping bags in hand, feeling just as confused and stressed out as before.


	14. Hunted

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 14: Hunted**

"Flack, open up!" Scarlett yelled angrily, knocking on the door for what felt like the millionth time. She'd been standing outside of Flack's apartment for at least ten minutes and still no answer. Finally, she heard the lock turn.

Flack opened the door wearing only a towel around his waist, water dripping from his muscular chest and down his abs. "I was in the shower, Lett," he said, stepping aside to let her in. She wanted to be pissed at him, but when he looked that damn good it was hard.

"Yea, that much I could've figured out," she said, stepping into the apartment with her collection of shopping bags. "Heard anything yet?" she asked, dropping her bags on the floor.

Flack looked at her a moment before answering. "I think it's best if you speak to Mac yourself," he finally said. He wasn't one to keep secrets from people, but this wasn't a secret. He was simply following Mac's order.

Scarlet crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked up at him, "I know you spoke to him, Flack. Tell me what he said."

"Look, Lett, he called me and gave me an update but he told me specifically that he would give you the news himself once you got to work."

"You're useless," she muttered under her breath so that he couldn't hear her, "good looking and useless." Scarlett opened up her shopping bags and picked out a change of clothes and moved towards the bathroom. She didn't have the time or energy to argue with him at this point. "I'm guessing you're all cleaned up? I need to shower before we leave."

Flack nodded, "I'm done. Go ahead, I'll wait for you."

Scarlett slammed the bathroom door and stripped off her clothes. She couldn't believe he was withholding information from her! But on the other hand, if Mac had wanted to deliver the news to her himself, it must have been important. _You really need to stop being such a drama queen, Scarlett_, she told herself.

She showered in record time and threw on a new pair of dark wash skinny jeans with a black blazer and a tank top underneath, her signature work attire. She rolled her hair up into a neat bun, leaving a few pieces out around her face and applied a few coats of mascara to her already long lashes.

"I'm ready," she yelled as she left the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind her.

"Well, you look nice," said Flack with a smirk on his handsome face from where he sat waiting for her on the couch.

She made a face at him and said, "Don't try and suck up to me now, Donnie." She'd let go of her earlier anger and was now eager to get to the lab and start getting some answers for herself.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Mac," Scarlett said as she walked into his office. Her lab coat was hanging over her arm and Flack was a few steps behind her.<p>

"Sit down and shut the door," Mac said as Flack walked in. Once they had sat down, Mac continued, "I spoke to Flack earlier today and I told him that we've determined that the threat on your apartment door is connected to the deaths of the two Jane Doe's we found in Central Park."

Scarlett nodded, satisfied that she was now getting some answers. "What about running the prints from my apartment?"

"We're on that right now, so with any luck we'll get a hit in AFIS." Mac cleared his throat before continuing, "But since we've determined someone is after you, I've assigned Flack to keep an eye on you."

Scarlett resisted the urge to roll her eyes in front of her boss, "That part I know," she grumbled.

"It's for your own safety, Scarlett. You saw how those two other victims ended up. We're just taking the necessary precautions."

Scarlett nodded and stood up, "Alright, I better get to work then." She waited for Flack outside of Mac's office and stopped him for a moment. "I'm sorry I keep doing this - these little angry outbursts. I'm just stressed."

Flack nodded, "I know, I can tell. But we're all here to help you. Sometimes it's best to just accept the help you're getting instead of pushing it away." Scarlett smiled at him feeling a little bit better. He understood her. He understood that she was independent and liked to take care of herself. But she was going to try her best to accept the help she could get. Little did she know, she was really going to need it.

* * *

><p>Near the end of her shift, Scarlett was with Lindsay in the lab trying to make the time pass while waiting for the results of the finger print analysis.<p>

"Linds," Scarlett moaned, dropping her head into her hands. The frustration was getting to her.

"Scarlett, stop. You're starting to drive me crazy," Lindsay said, looking up from her microscope.

"Sorry, sorry. I've been - "

"I've got a hit in AFIS," Danny said as he walked into lab, waving a sheet of paper in his hands. Mac was a few steps behind him. "The fingerprint Mac lifted from your apartment door belongs to a Ted Larson. Name ring a bell?"

Scarlett shook her head, and thought for a moment. "No," she said. "At least I don't think so. Does Flack know?"

"Does Flack know what?" said Don, stepping into the lab.

"Great timing," Danny said. "A print from Scarlett and Lindsay's apartment came back to a Ted Larson. We're trying to establish a connection here."

Flack nodded, "Anything yet? Why is he in the system?"

"Mostly just auto theft and illegal possession of a firearm. He was locked up in Jersey for a little while."

Scarlett bit down on her lip, trying to find the connection between herself and this man. "Larson, Larson," she repeated to herself quietly.

"What about connections between the two Jane Doe's and Scarlett?" Flack asked Mac.

"We've got nothing. As far as we know, their paths never crossed," Mac answered.

"I don't think we need to look for a connection between Scarlett and the Jane Doe's," Lindsay said, "The message on our apartment door said _Two warnings is all you get. You're next_. I mean if the killer knows Scarlett's line of work, he would know she would come across the bodies. It's a strange warning, killing someone just because they resemble your target but we've all seen stranger things happen."

"Lindsay's right," Mac said, "We need to focus on the connection you have," he said to Scarlett, "with Ted Larson. His last known address is in New Jersey. We'll have to get in touch with New Jersey CSIs. This may be bigger than we originally thought."

"In that case, I should probably call up the Jersey CSI crime lab. I mean, I used to work there so I should be able to take care of this pretty quickly," Scarlett said.

"Alright, you do that and let me know how it goes," Mac said before leaving the room and going back to his office.


	15. Stay the Night

**A/N: Hope you enjoy these two new chapters! Here I've introduced a guest from Scarlett's past who will be in a future chapter. Stay tuned!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Scarlett Monroe!**

**Chapter 15: Stay With Me**

Scarlett stepped into her office, shutting the door behind her. She picked up her phone and dialed an old familiar phone number, waiting for an answer.

"Detective Griffin," a voice said on the other line. Detective Griffin happened to be Scarlett Monroe's ex-boyfriend as well as her ex-boss.

"Hey Griffin, it's Scarlett," she said.

"Well, well, haven't heard from you in awhile, sweetie! How are the New York CSIs treating you?"

"Great, actually. I love it here. Actually the reason why I'm calling has to do with work," she said.

"Alright, shoot," the voice on the other line said.

"Well, to sum it up we've got a serial killer in the city. We've traced him back to your guys since his last known address is in New Jersey. Ted Larson ring a bell?"

"That last name, Larson, sure does. Wasn't that a case you worked on over here?"

"I definitely worked a Larson case but I could have sworn it wasn't a Ted Larson."

"Hm, I'll have to look into old case files and get back to you in a couple of days," Detective Griffin said.

"Look, we don't have a couple of days, Griffin. This guy is out and he's after me. I need that case file delivered to our office as soon as possible. I also need you to check out his New Jersey address. I have a feeling he probably won't be there but I can't rule anything out unless I know for sure," Scarlett instructed.

"If he's targeting people in the city there is no point in checking out a New Jersey address, Scarlett," Detective Griffin said with a laugh.

"Luckily, I don't work for you anymore so your opinion really isn't relevant," Scarlett said, her tone icy. "I'm telling you our lab needs whatever Larson case files and evidence you've got. You aren't doing me a personal favor here. I'll have the head of the crime lab contact you if this is going to be a problem."

"You'll have the evidence tomorrow morning," Detective Griffin said, ignoring Scarlett's tone, "I'll report back on the address." He hung up before Scarlett could get in another word. She dropped her phone on her desk and leaned back in her seat angrily.

Flack walked in and stopped in the doorway when he saw Scarlett's face, "Whoa, is it safe to come in?" he asked jokingly.

She shook her head and growled, "Let me tell you, the New Jersey CSIs I used to work with are idiots."

"What happened? Did they refuse to cooperate?" Flack asked, concerned.

She shook her head again, "No, they're cooperating all right. They just don't know how to get off of their lazy asses and do their jobs. We're getting the evidence tomorrow and someone is going over to check that address for me as we speak."

"Good," Flack said, "Have them contact Mac with any information. It's late, we should get back to my apartment."

She nodded and quickly wrote an e-mail to Detective Griffin with instructions to contact Detective Taylor with any information regarding the investigation. There was nothing else for her to do in the lab without that evidence, so she reluctantly stood up and followed Flack out of the lab.

* * *

><p><em>"You've got to help me lady, my son is innocent," a strange man on the street had said to Scarlett after cornering her. <em>

_Adrenaline was rushing through her body and she reached for her badge and gun, ready to protect herself. "Sir, you need to step back," she said, flashing her badge._

_"I need your help," the man said again, this time more urgently._

_"What do you need my help with?" she finally asked, reluctantly._

_"You arrested my son, Billy Larson. He's innocent. He didn't kill that girl," the man said, reaching forward to grab Scarlett's arm. She took a step back and pointed her gun at him._

_"Sir, I can't discuss an ongoing investigation with you," she said sternly._

_"But you have to. You know what to do to make this right. You have to help me," he said, his voice rising. "If they put him away, it'll be your damned fault. You made a mistake. YOU did," the man yelled. "I'm going to come after you and you will make this right!"_

_Scarlett stepped to the side and managed to get away from the man who luckily chose not to follow her. She stepped into the street and got into her patrol car, shaking from head to toe._

Scarlett woke up in the middle of the night, covered in a cold sweat. She sat up, looking around to make sure she was safe. The nightmare she'd just had was the connection between her and Ted Larson. She threw off Flack's sheets and went over to the living room where he was asleep on the couch.

"Flack," she whispered gently shaking his shoulder. "Please wake up, wake up."

Flack finally opened his eyes sleepily. "What's going on?" he asked.

"I know who Ted Larson is, I've finally figured it out."

"It's 4:00 a.m. what the hell are you doing up?" he asked, slightly confused and a little irritated that he'd just been woken up.

"I had this... Nevermind it's a long story. I know Ted Larson, I just didn't know him by name. I arrested his son for murdering his girlfriend. I worked that case and I was responsible for gathering the evidence that put his son away."

Flack sat up, rubbing his eyes, "You better let Mac know," he said. "No, Lett, not now," he added when he saw Scarlett reach for the phone. "First thing tomorrow morning when we get to the lab and the evidence arrives, you let Mac know." He laid back on the couch, shutting his eyes.

"How can you sleep at a time like this?" Scarlett said with frustration in her voice.

"At a time like what?" Flack answered dryly.

"I've just figured out who's after me as well as his motive," she explained. "Now we just need to find him."

"And that is why you need to wait until morning. We have no idea where this guy could be and we can't run around the city blindly searching for him."

"I know, Flack. I just thought it was urgent enough to let you and Mac know." Without another word, she stood up and walked back to Flack's bedroom.

A few minutes later, Flack came in after her. "Lett," he said gently, walking over to where she was laying.

She turned to face him without speaking.

"I know you're anxious to solve this case but go back to sleep," he whispered. He kissed her cheek and was walking out of the room when she finally spoke.

"Stay with me, Don" she said quietly. This time, Flack didn't hesitate.


	16. Chapter 16

So I recently stumbled upon this account and am wondering if I should pick this story back up again...is anyone still reading?


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